Method and apparatus for combining molten metal with a gas



May 25, 1926.Y

H. A. POPPENHUSEN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMBINING MOLTEE METAL WITH A GAS Filed March 26 1924 Patented May 25, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,586,328 Pmi-:NT OFFICE.

HEBHN A. POPPENHUSEN, OI' HAMMOND, 11W-DIANA..

.METHOD AND .APPABTU FOR COMBINING MQLTEN METAL WITH A GAS.

Application led March 26, 1924. Serial No. 701,901.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for chemically combining a moly ten metal with a gas, as for instance molten leadv with air to make lead oxid, or with a carbonic gas to make lead carbonate.

The main object of my invention is to direct a blast of the gas across and in contact with an exposed surface of the molten metal .to continuously clear the surface of the resultant compound formed by the chemical combination of the molten metal and the gas so vas to present fresh 'surfaces of molten metal to the action of the gas.

A .further object of my invention is to utilize thelifting e'ect of the blast on the exposed surface of the molten metal to determine or control-the'rate of metal feed there to, thus affording no opportunity for lthe blast to blow olf more molten metal than can be chemically combined with the blast.

.Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a view taken through an apparatus for practicing my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

.,Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through oneV of `.the atomizers of the apparatus; and v Fig. 4 illustrates a valve structure to be hereinaterdescribed. Y

The apparatus of my invention comprises a pot or kettle 1 beneath which is .a burner 2 or other source of heat for keeping molten the metali'n said pot. The latter is constantly supplied with molten metal from a second potor -kettle 3 through a connecting conduitI or pipe connection 4, as shown in Fig. 1. Beneath the pot 3 is a burner 5 for keepin molten the inetal therein. The pots or kett es 1 and 3 are arranged side by side and are supported in place by upright walls 6, 6 of a suitable surrounding furnace setting, 'as shown in Fig. 1.

Over the pot 1 is a conical cover 7 opening upward into an outlet conduit 8 leading to a collecting hopper 9 having a screened gas outlet 10 at`1ts upper end and a gate controlled discharge spout 11 --at its lower end. The normal level of the -molten metal in the ot 1 is indicated by a, and arranged above t at level is a shield 12 to exclude air :from the molten metal lbelow the same.

longitudinal vertical sectional vends opening into the space or chamber between the cover 7 and shield 12. As indicated in Fig. 2, the tubes 14 are arranged in a circle around the shield and are spaced apart circumferentially.

Associated with the tubes 14 are blast conduits or pipes 15, 15, one for each tube 14 and .extending through the shield 12. Said conduits 15 are arranged outside of the tubes 14 and each has its upper end bent to provide a nozzle 16 extending toward its associate tube 14. 'The nozzles 16 are at angles to the tubes 14 and are ar ranged to direct streams of gas across the open upper ends thereof.

The conduits 15 extend downward into the molten metal inthe pot 1, and each conduit has a coiled section 17 submerged in the molten metal in said pot 1'to heat the gas passing therethrough to approximately the Same temperature as the molten metal in said pot. Each coil 17 is connected by a pipe 18 with a blast ring 19 outside of and above the cover'7. The ring 19 has a supply pipe 20 leading to a blower or other source of air or gas supply (not shown). I n reaching the coil 17, the pipes 18 extend down into the molten metal, as shown, and constitute portions of the gas blowing conduits.

When using the apparatus shown and described to make lead oxid, air under pressure is supplied to the ring 19, and from thence is blown from the nozzles 16 across the open upper ends of the tubes 14.4 In operation, the atomizing action of the air blasts 011 the tubes 14: creates partial vacuums in the tubesv 14 to lift a column' of molten metal from the pot 1 in each tube 14 to the upper end thereof. The air blowing across the surfaces of molten metall maintained at the open upper ends of the tubes 14h chemical action converts the molten meta? acted on into lead oxid and, in blowing off portions 'of molten metal as sprays, completely converts all ofthe molten' lead Aacted on into lead oxid. All 4the nozzles 16 discharge toward the center-of the shield 12, where the free air meets and by its resultant action creates an upward flow into the conduit 8. This flow carries the lead oxid through said conduit 8 intothe hopper 9,' where it is deposited, the excess air escaping to the atmosphere through'the screen 10. To facilitate this upward flow, the nozzles 16 are inclined upward, and the upper ends of the tubes 14 are formed to extend into the air blasts, as shown in Fig. 3.

For making lead carbonate, that is, white lead, a carbonio gas is passed through the nozzles 16, a certain proportion of the carbonic acid uniting with the exposed molten lead to make lead carbonate,- which is collected in the hopper 9.

For chemically combining any'other metal with any other gas, the desired metal is melted in the pot or kettle 1 and the required gas is blown through the nozzles 16 over the tubes 14.

In combining molten metal with a gas by the method and apparatus of myy invention, the atomizing or lifting action of the gas blasts on the upper ends of the tubes 14 continuously presents fresh surfaces of molten metal to the blasts as the resultant compound formed by the 'chemical combination of the molten metal and gas is blown olf the same.. This is an important factor 5 of my invention because the feed of molten metal to the blasts is automatically controlled thereby and proportionate to the amounts of compound produced. Manifestly, complete conversion of the molten metal takes place because no opportunity is afforded for feeding any more metal into the blasts than can be chemically combined therewith and under conditions of an excess of gas always about and available for complete oxidation of the finely divided particles of sprayed metal, thus making both practical and efficient the method and apparatus of my invention.

The pot or kettle 3 may have a cover 21. The cover 7 may have a layer of suitable heat insulating material 22 on its outside to retain heat therein. In Fig. 4 is shown a valve arrangement for mechanically controlling the metal feed to the gas blasts independent 'of the lifting eHect of the latter on the molten metal in the tubes 14. As

illustrated, a conical valve member 23 is n provided at the lower end of the tube 14 Said rod is outside the tube and is slidably' mounted in brackets 25, 26 on the tube, one

below the shield 12 and the other above the same. Between the shield and upper bracket 26 is a nut 27 on a threadedportion of the rod for moving the same endwise in adjusting the valve 23. To'hold the rod against turning with the nut, the upper end of the rod is square and in a like shaped opening in a bracket 28 on the shield 12. This valve mechanism could be applied to each of the tubes 14, and operated separately for each tube or connected in a manner suitable for simultaneous operation.

The apparatus shown and described may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method for combining a molten metal with a gas, consisting in directing a blast of gas across thc open end of a tube communicating with a supply of molten metal for inducing a flow of molten metal to the openend of said tube for contact with the gas.

2. The method for combining a molten metal with a gas, consisting in directing a blast of gas across the open end of a tube communicating with a supply of molten metal for inducing a flow of molten metal to the open end of said tube for-contact with the gas and controlling the supply of molten metal coming in contact with the blast.

3. The method of chemically combining a molten metal and a gas, consisting in directinga continuous blast of the gas across and in contact with an exposed surface of a supply of the molten metal to continuously clear the surface of the resultant compound formed by the chemical combination of the.

metal and gas so as to presentvfresh surfaces of molten metal to the action'of the gas, thc lifting effect of the blast on the exposed surface determining the rate of metal feed thereto.

4. The method of chemically. combininga molten metal and a gas, consisting in directing a continuous Ablast of the gas across the upper end of a tube rising from a supply of the molten metal to continuously feed molten metal into contact with the gas at the upper-end of the tube as the resultant compound formed by the chemical combination of the molten metal and gas is blown from the metal surface at saidtube end.

5. The method ofA chemically combining a molten metal and a gas, consisting in directing a continuous blast of the gas across the upper end of a tube rising from a supply of the molten metal to continuously feed molten metal into contact with the gas at the upper end of the tube as the resultant compound formed by the chemical combination of the molten metal and gas is blown from the metal surface atl said tube end, and heating the gas to approximately the same ternperature as the molten metal before being blown into contact therewith.

6. lThe method of chemically combining a molten metal and avgas, consisting in directing a continuous blast of the gas across the upper end of a tube-rising from a supply of Lacasse,

.per end vof the tube as the resultant com- .pound formed by the chemical combination of the molten metal and gas is blown from thmetal surface at said tube end, and heating the gasto approximately the same ternerature as thev molten metal before being lown into contact therewith by passing the gas through a conduit, a portion of Which is submerged in the molten'metal.

7. The method of making lead oxid, consistin heated air across the upper end of a tube rising from a supply of molten lead to continuously feed molten lead into contact with said heated air at the upper end of said tube as the oxid is blown from the metal surface at said tube en'd.

p 8. In an apparatus of the character. described, 4the combination of a supply kettle containing` molten metal, atube rising out of the molten metal, and a conduit for di-l ofthe molten metal, and means for directing a blast of gas across the upper end of said tube to bring molten metal through the tube into contact with the gas at the upper endthereof.

9. In. an apparatus of the character described, the Vcombination of a supply kettle containing moltenmetal, a tube rising out rectinga blast of as'- across the upper end of. said' tubeV to fee molten metal into con- .tactl with said asat the upper end of said tube, said con uit having a coiled portion submerged in thel molten metal to heat the gas before being vdischarged across said tube.

10. `In an 'apparatus of the character described, the combination of a supply kettle through said vshield tinto the molten meta and meansin the space between the shield and cover for directin a blast of gas across the upper en'd of sai tube to feed molten metal t in directing a continuous blast of ply of metal thereto.

rough the tube into contact with the .y gas, said cover having an outletopening for the removal of the resultant compound formed by the chemical combination of the molten metal and gas.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination ofa supply kettle containing molten metal, a cover over said kettle, a shield over the molten metal below said cover to exclude air from the molten metal, and means, including gas blasts, for lifting molten metal into the space between the shield and cover at a plurality of points about the same-for chemically combining the molten metal and gas by blowing the latter into contact with the former, said means causing the blasts of gas to be discharged toward a common lmeeting point so that the resultant-stream created thereby will ilow thro-ugh the"outle.t in the cover.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a kettle contain.- ing molten metal, a cover over said kettle and having an outlet conduit, a shield between the molten metal and cover, a lurality of tubes carried b and exten ing .through the shield into t e molten metal, and gas conveying conduits having nozzle ends above said shield and arranged to discharge blasts 'of gas'across the open up er ends of said tubes to feed`molten metal nto contact with said blasts, said nozzles and tubes being arranged that the discharge is toward a common meeting point above said shield so that the resultant stream created thereby j will-flow out` of said outlet conduit.

13.' In an apparatus ofthe character described, the combination of a kettle containing molten metal, a tube rising out of said molten metal, means for directing a blast -of gas across the upper endof vsaid tube-tok bring molten metal through the tube into contact with the gas at the upper end thereof, and valve means associated with said tube for mechanically controlling the sup- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I aiiix mysignature -this l 24th 'day of March, 1924. d

HERMAN A. POPPENHUSEN. 

